Marples: Sen. Daniel Inouye's leadership will be missed

Sen. Daniel Inouye's leadership will be missed

I read in The Times about the death of U.S. Sen., Daniel Inouye of Hawaii. He was the nation's current longest serving senator, having been in the U.S. Senate since January 1963 which goes back to the era of President Kennedy's Administration. I was born in December 1963, so Daniel Inouye has been in the Senate "my whole life."

I first became aware of him during the televised Iran-Contra congressional hearings in the late 1980s, involving Lt. Col Oliver North. Coincidentally, I recently met and spoke with Col. North, less than three weeks ago at a book-signing in Longview and afterward Col. North held an identical book-signing at Shreveport-Bossier City to wrap up his tour.

Actually, I was minimally familiar with Sen. Inouye's name when I was a kid watching the Watergate proceedings, whereby Inouye was involved in that Congressional investigation of G. Gordon Liddy and others.

Another coincidence, I just recently spoke with G. Gordon Liddy.

All three men served our nation's military with distinction ... but Daniel Inouye "lost an arm" in battle during World War II, which is a huge sacrifice for preserving the freedom of all Americans. Inouye was awarded the Medal of Honor.

For his immense contributions to America: Sen. Inouye's body was accorded the rare privilege of "lying in state" under the U.S. Capitol Rotunda - a distinction that only a few rare and select Americans have ever been accorded, such as U.S. presidents Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy and Gerald Ford, along with former longtime Congressman Claude Pepper.

Daniel Inouye, was a true war hero and true statesman, and he will be missed.

- James A. Marples

Longview, Texas

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Email this article

Marples: Sen. Daniel Inouye's leadership will be missed

Sen. Daniel Inouye's leadership will be missedI read in The Times about the death of U.S. Sen., Daniel Inouye of Hawaii. He was the nation's current longest serving senator, having been in the U.S.